Striking-bag



(No Model.)

H. B. 000K.

STRIKING BAG.

Patented Peb.3',1891.

UNiTEii STATES IIIRAM B. COOK, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

STRlKlNG-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,747, dated February3, 1891.

Application filed June 13, 1890- Serial No. 355,351. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HIRAM B. COOK, a citizen of the Unit-ed States,residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of Californla,have invented an Improvement in Striking-Bags; and I hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in that class of devicesknown as striking or exercising bags; and it consists in certain detailsof construction, which will be more fully explained by reference totheaccompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are views of two formsof the bag and the suspending device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section ofthe suspending device. Fig. 4 is a view of the forked suspendin -strap.

Bags for this purpose are usually made with an outside case of leather,and either filled and comparatively heavy, or with an inner rubber baghaving a pipe or tube by which the bag may be inflated, so as to fillthe exterior case, making either a heavy or a light bag, which issuspended by a cord from the ceiling in such a position that theoperator can strike the bag, causing it to swing, and as it returns orrebounds to strike it again, and in this manner use itfor exercisingpurposes.

- The exterior cases, as usually constructed, are made of seven or eightsegments, the edges of which are stitched together, and they areprovided with a loop or strap stitched upon one side, to which a cord isattached, so that they may be suspended from the ceiling. A swivel-hookforms the connection between' the upper end of the suspending-strap anda hook or eyebolt which is screwed into the ceiling, the swivelnecessarily hanging some distance below the fixed hook and swinging asthe bag swings. By this construction, when the bagis struck, theswivelswings up against the ceiling, making considerable noise and intime wearing the ceiling out, besides which the eyebolt very soonbecomes loose and a new hole has to be made for it. The strap to whichthe cord is attached, being secured at only one or two points, pulls thebag out Of1 shape, and is also soon torn loose from the bag by theviolent wrenches upon it, and

when the seams in the bag become ripped, as they soon do, it is verydifficult to repair them.

In my invention the bagis made, preferably, of four sections A A, andthese sections have the edges cut so as to abut squarely against eachother, and they are then sewed together by an over-aud-over seam B,which leaves the edges abutting squarely, so that both outside andinside of the bag are perfectly smooth. This prevents the rapid wearingout of the interior rubber bag when oneis used, and presents a smoothsurface upon the exterior for the hands to strike against, so that theywill not become sore, and for this reason I have hitherto made the bagsin this manner. It will be evident, however, that other wellknownmethods may be employed to secure the sections together. Each of thesections has a strap C, made of leather, rawhide, or any suitable toughand strong material, and these straps are strongly secured to thecentral part of the ends of each section, near the opening B, which ismade at one end of the bag to allow access to the inner rubber bag E-when the latter is used and 'for the purpose of inflating it through itsnozzle F, as well as for theintroductiou and removal of the inner bag,when necessary, without ripping the outer bag or usinglacingstrings.These straps are preferably riveted into the central end portion of eachof the four sections, and a re-enforce of leather G is stitched downover them, the suspending-straps passing out through slots in there-enforcing piece, as shown at H, and the ends are all brought uptogether centrally and firmly secured to the suspending-cord I ashortdistance from the bag by a seizing of rope or other fastening.

In practice I prefer to make two of the straps Cof one piece, as shownin Fig. 4, so that there will be only two extensions or ends to wrapabout the cord 1, as it makes a stronger connection. By thisconstruction each of the sections A of the bag has an equal strainbrought upon it and each section is equally secured and suspended, andwhen used with the rubber bag they form a space between them withinwhich the nozzle or tube for in fiating the rubber bag is safelyprotected from injury.

I have heretofore described a leather bag adapted to contain an innerinflatable one; but the construction will be similar, as shown in Fig.2, when the bag is made solid with a filling of hair or other material,the object being in any case to divide the strain and suspend all thesections equally, thus preventing the bag from sagging and pulling outof shape under the violent strains to which it is subjected.

In order to suspend the bag from the ceiling by a direct linealconnection which will allow it to turn easily in any direction whenstruck and without twisting the suspending cord or strap or strainingthe fastenings, I have shown a metal plate J, having countersunk screwholes around its periphery, through which screws are passed to fasten itto the ceiling from which the bag is suspended. This plate has aprojecting hub or a thickened portion, as shown at L, in the center, andthrough this passes the shaft of the eyebolt M. The inner end of thisshaft is'either secured bya nut N, or it may be headed down or otherwisesuitably secured, so that it will turn freely through the hub of theplate, which is thick enough to prevent .any side motion by reason ofthe strain brought upon it by the bag. The upper end of thesuspending-cord is provided with a small snap-hook O or otherattachment, which can be easily hooked or fastened into the movable eye,and is as easily removed when it is desired to change the bags.

This device allows the bag to twist and turn freely in either direction,as is desirable. At the same time, by reason of the eyebolt beingjournaled in a vertical line in the fixed plate, the point of motion isbrought close to the ceiling. No swivel is necessary. It prevents anynoise which would be caused by the swinging of a swivel against theceiling, and itprevents the battering and wearing out of the ceiling,which takes place if the ordinary swivel-hook is suspended from a fixedeyebolt so asto swing with the cord and the bag. The bag and cordswinging freely from the movable fastening move together and the I hagswin gs more truly. By this construction,

there being no weight of iron at the upper end of the rope to swing withthe bag, the motion of the latter are made more smooth and even and thelife of all the parts is greatly ex= tended.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is I 4 1. A striking-bagconsisting of sectionshaving their meeting edges stitched or sewed, suspending-straps, one ofwhich is riveted or secured to the central end portion of each of thesegments which form the bag, and a reenforcing segment stitched upon theend of the bag over the ends of the suspendingstraps and riveted throughthem, substantially as herein described.

2. A striking-bag consisting of segments having their meeting edgessewed 0r stitched, a suspending-strap riveted or secured ccntrally tothe end of each segment, a suspending-cord having its lower endsecuredbetween the ends of the suspending-straps, so that the strainwill come equally upon each of the straps and segments of the bag and are enforce secured over the ends of the straps, substantially as hereindescribed.

8. A striking-bag consisting of segments having their meeting edgessewed or stitched a suspending-strap riveted or secured to the center ofthe end of each of the sections, said straps being brought together andunited with a suspending rope, substantially as herein described.

4. A striking-bag having the suspendingstraps united directlywith-asuspending-cord, in combination with an eyebolt to which the upperend of the cord is connected, the shank of said eyebolt extendingvertically through a fixed plate, with a nut or head upon the inner end,whereby the eye is allowed to turn freely and is prevented from swingingfrom. side to side, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

. IIIRAM B. COOK. Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE,

' ll. 0. LEE.

